The BSM SUPREME special overdrive is an overdrive pedal from the German maker BSM. Its single drive-control is there, in BSM's words, to "set perfectly Ritchie's gain-shadings over the last four decades of his rock-artistic development"1. It runs on a 9V battery or an external 9V power supply, with a current consumption of approximately 3mA1, and questions about the pedal are handled by BSM's Bernd C. Meiser via info@treblebooster.net or the contact form on the company's site1.
The Supreme draws approximately 3mA and can be powered by a 9V battery or an external 9V power supply1.
What it does: a Ritchie Blackmore overdrive voice
The Supreme belongs to BSM's line of pedals built around Blackmore's sound, alongside products like the BSM Supreme and the BSM Heritage Crunch. Where a conventional overdrive, of the kind covered on the overdrive pedals page, aims at a general purpose gain voice, BSM designed the Supreme to deliver one specific result: Blackmore's tone with most amps, particularly through the bright channel, without needing to adjust the pedal's output to get there1.
BSM was explicit about the single-voice approach: "BSM determined to deliver only one distinctive sound and therefore to do without a tone-control."1 There is no tone knob. The pedal's only control is the drive control, which BSM says is there to set Ritchie's gain-shadings across the last four decades of his rock-artistic development, from early Deep Purple and Rainbow-era sounds onward1.
Controls and power
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Sets Ritchie's gain-shadings over the last four decades of his development1 |
| Output | Output adjustment; the Blackmore tone is achieved independently of its setting1 |
Power is straightforward:
- 9V battery or external 9V power supply1
- Current consumption of approximately 3mA1
- True bypass switching1
The low current draw of about 3mA means the Supreme sits easily on any daisy-chained or isolated pedalboard supply, and the battery option makes it usable without a supply at all1.
Who made it
The Supreme was designed by Bernd C. Meiser, whom BSM introduced as "our tech-head and mastermind Mr. Bernd C. Meiser"2. BSM described the Supreme as the result of a decision "to build a significant boutique overdrive pedal"1, and after its release the company said it had become one of its bestselling pedals3. Meiser also handled customer questions about the pedal directly, via info@treblebooster.net or the contact form on BSM's site1.
BSM lists Bernd C. Meiser as the person handling questions about the Supreme, reachable at info@treblebooster.net or through the contact form on the company's site1. The pedal's drive-control is described by BSM as the way to "set perfectly Ritchie's gain-shadings over the last four decades of his rock-artistic development"1.
Videos
楽器好きにはたまらない! フーチーズ 渋谷店 / Guitar Shop Hoochie's
Questions
Does the BSM SUPREME take a battery?
Yes. BSM states the Supreme is powered by a 9V battery or an external 9V power supply, and its current consumption is approximately 3mA, which is light enough for almost any pedalboard supply.
Is the BSM SUPREME true bypass?
Yes. According to BSM's product page, the Supreme has true bypass switching, so the pedal is removed from the signal path when it is off.
Who designed the BSM SUPREME overdrive?
The Supreme was designed by Bernd C. Meiser, whom BSM described as the company's tech-head and mastermind. BSM has said it decided to build a significant boutique overdrive pedal with the Supreme.
Is BSM still making pedals?
No. BSM owner Bernd C. Meiser passed away in 2024 and the company has since closed down, so the Supreme and the rest of the BSM range are no longer in production.
Sources (3)
- SUPREME special overdrive, BSM - Finest Treble Booster (treblebooster.net), 2025
- SUPREME special overdrive, treblebooster.net, 2025
- Overdrive Booster, treblebooster.net, 2025
